Electronic device having antennas in ventilation ducts

Abstract

An electronic device may have an upper housing and a lower housing separated by a slow. A substrate may be mounted in the lower housing and may have an inner surface facing an interior of the lower housing and an outer surface facing the slot. Ventilation port openings may extend from the outer surface to the inner surface. Ribs in the substrate may separate the ventilation port openings. The ribs may include notches at the inner surface. An antenna may include conductive traces within multiple ventilation port openings and extending through the notches. The conductive traces may be offset from the outer surface. The outer surface of the substrate may be free from conductive material from the antenna. This may serve to maximize antenna efficiency while protecting the antenna from external forces and debris or other contaminants that pass through the slot during use of the electronic device over time.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising:
 a first conductive housing wall; 
 a second conductive housing wall; 
 a substrate disposed between the first and second conductive housing walls, wherein the substrate includes
 a first ventilation port opening, 
 a second ventilation port opening, 
 a rib that separates the first ventilation port opening from the second ventilation port opening, and 
 a notch having a closed end formed from a portion of the rib and an open end opposite the closed end; and 
 
 an antenna radiating element on the substrate and extending, through the notch, from the first ventilation port opening to the second ventilation port opening, wherein the antenna radiating element comprises a conductive trace on the portion of the rib that forms the closed end of the notch. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a plastic substrate. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a lower housing portion that includes the first and second conductive housing walls; 
 an upper housing portion coupled to the lower housing portion by a hinge; and 
 a display in the upper housing portion, wherein the antenna radiating element is configured to radiate through a slot between the lower housing portion and the upper housing portion. 
 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 3 , wherein the substrate has a first surface facing the slot and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first and second ventilation port openings extend through the substrate from the first surface to the second surface, and the antenna radiating element is separated from the second surface by a non-zero distance within the notch. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 4 , wherein none of the antenna radiating element is located on the first surface. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 4 , wherein the notch extends from the second surface towards the first surface. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises an additional rib that extends orthogonal to the rib and that separates the first ventilation port opening from a third ventilation port opening in the substrate. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the additional rib separates the first ventilation port opening from the second ventilation port opening at a first face of the substrate, the substrate has a second face opposite the first face, and the first ventilation port opening is merged with the second ventilation port opening at the second face. 
     
     
       9. An electronic device comprising:
 a housing having an upper housing portion that contains a display and having a lower housing portion, wherein the lower housing portion has opposing first and second conductive walls; 
 a hinge that couples the upper housing portion to the lower housing portion, wherein the upper housing portion is rotatable with respect to the lower housing portion and is separated from the lower housing portion by at least one slot; 
 a substrate disposed in the lower housing portion between the first and second conductive walls, wherein the substrate has a first surface that faces an interior of the lower housing portion and a second surface that faces the at least one slot; 
 first and second ventilation ports in the substrate and extending from the second surface towards the first surface; and 
 an antenna configured to radiate through the at least one slot and having a first conductive trace in the first ventilation port, a second conductive trace in the second ventilation port, and a third conductive trace that couples the first conductive trace to the second conductive trace, wherein the first, second, and third conductive traces are offset from the second surface of the substrate. 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the substrate comprises:
 a wall that separates the first ventilation port from the second ventilation port; and 
 a recess in the wall at the first surface of the substrate. 
 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the recess has an open end, a rear wall opposite the open end, and an edge that extends from the open end to the rear wall, the third conductive trace being disposed on the edge of the recess. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 10 , the substrate further comprising:
 an additional wall that forms an edge of the first ventilation port and that forms an edge of the second ventilation port, wherein the first, second, and third conductive traces are disposed on the additional wall and the third conductive trace extends through the recess. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein the additional wall is oriented perpendicular to the wall. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the antenna comprises:
 a positive antenna feed terminal; and 
 a fourth conductive trace on the wall that couples the first conductive trace to the positive antenna feed terminal. 
 
     
     
       15. An electronic device comprising:
 a housing having an upper housing portion that contains a display and having a lower housing portion, wherein the lower housing portion has opposing first and second conductive walls and the lower housing portion is separated from the upper housing portion by at least one slot; 
 a substrate disposed in the lower housing portion between the first and second conductive walls, wherein the substrate has a first surface that faces an interior of the lower housing portion and a second surface that faces the at least one slot; 
 first and second ventilation ports in the substrate that extend from the second surface towards the first surface, wherein the first and second ventilation ports are separated by a rib of the substrate at the second surface; 
 a notch in the substrate, wherein the notch has a closed end defined by a portion of the rib, a second end opposite the first end, and an edge that extends from the closed end to the open end; and 
 an antenna radiating element that is configured to radiate through the at least one slot and that includes a first conductive trace in the first ventilation port, a second conductive trace in the second ventilation port, and a third conductive trace on the edge of the notch, wherein the third conductive trace couples the first conductive trace to the second conductive trace. 
 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the closed end of the notch is separated from the first surface by a first non-zero distance and is separated from the second surface by a second non-zero distance greater than the first non-zero distance. 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the first, second, and third conductive traces are offset from the second surface of the substrate. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the second surface of the substrate is free of conductive material from the antenna radiating element. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second ventilation ports are merged at the first surface of the substrate by the open end of the notch. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 15 , wherein the first conductive wall is parallel to the second conductive wall, the edge of the notch being oriented at a non-parallel and non-perpendicular angle with respect to the first and second conductive walls.